Manufacturing engineers generally determine a manufacturing process plan after a prototype part has been constructed. Further, the manufacturing engineer may not develop an optimal manufacturing process plan since they may not be aware of equipment not currently utilized in the manufacturing facility that could improve the process plan. Further, the engineer may not be cognizant of all of the features to be formed in the part because the prototype part may not contain all of the features of a production part.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method for generating a manufacturing process plan without utilizing a prototype part.